THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
When the people world over are working really hard to perfect
their skills in yoga, this three-year-old kid is proving it
to be a childs play. Meet Ameya Rajendran, a pre-schooler
who has already mastered the art of yoga, its different asanas
and pranayamas.

Ameya
is an expert at performing some of the difficult asanas like
halasana, chakrasana, vipareeta
karani mudra, poorna bhujangasana, upavishta
konasana, pachimottonasana among many.

It
wont be a surprise to note that practicing yoga runs
in her blood. The daughter of S Rajendran and R Nithya, Ameya
has grown up watching her parents and grandparents doing yoga.
Her father who is a yoga teacher at Sreeyogadarshan Yoga Centre
at Ramanakrishna Math, Vyttila, says, As we live in
a traditional joint family, she was exposed to this art. Her
grandparents also practice yoga. But we never forced her to
learn yoga, as giving such a strenous physical training for
someone so young was not appropriate. It is also feared that
it would inhibit the childrens ability to be creative
or imaginative.

Eventhough,
one should not force children to learn yoga, it is beneficial
if children show an interest as it has enormous benefits including
improving calmness, concentration, memory, coordination, flexibility
and strength, adds Rajendran.

However
little Ameya sat and observed the classes her father took
and soon started showing interest for the art. She used
to come and sit with us while we taught the students. Out
of her own interest, she started to do yoga. She is a quick
learner too, adds Rajendran. Her first yoga demonstration
on stage was held as part of the World Yoga Day on June 21.

The
movements taught in yoga are very much similar to the postures
a baby does during the growing up years. From the moment a
baby begins to rollover to holding its head high to lying
on a straight position on the stomach, all are yoga postures,
he says.

Ameyas
father along with his elder brothers S Srikanth and S Ayappan
run the Sreeyogadarshan Yoga Centre.